Multi-device rack width adapter system

Abstract

A multi-device rack-width-adapted rack system includes a multi-device rack width adapter system mounted to a rack having first and second sides defining a rack housing having a first housing width. The multi-device rack width adapter system includes a first multi-device rack width adapter subsystem in the rack housing mounted to the first side of the rack, a second multi-device rack width adapter subsystem in the rack housing mounted to the second side of the rack, and pairs of device coupling elements each including a first device coupling element on the first multi-device rack width adapter subsystem and a second device coupling element on the second multi-device rack width adapter subsystem. Each pair of device coupling elements may couple a second device to the rack in a second device housing defined by that pair of device coupling elements with a second housing width that is smaller than the first housing width.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multi-device rack-width-adapted rack system, comprising:
 a rack including a first side and a second side, wherein a rack housing having a first housing width is defined between the first side and the second side; and   a multi-device rack width adapter system that is mounted to the rack, wherein the multi-device rack width adapter system includes:
 a first multi-device rack width adapter subsystem that is located in the rack housing and that is mounted to the first side of the rack; 
 a second multi-device rack width adapter subsystem that is located in the rack housing and that is mounted to the second side of the rack; and 
 a plurality of pairs of device coupling elements that each include a first device coupling element provided on the first multi-device rack width adapter subsystem and a second device coupling element provided on the second multi-device rack width adapter subsystem, wherein each pair of device coupling elements is configured to couple a respective device to the rack in a respective device housing that is defined between that pair of device coupling elements and that includes a second housing width that is smaller than the first housing width. 
   
     
     
         2 . The multi-device rack-width-adapted rack system of  claim 1 , wherein the first housing width is approximately 21 inches. 
     
     
         3 . The multi-device rack-width-adapted rack system of  claim 1 , wherein the second housing width is approximately 19 inches. 
     
     
         4 . The multi-device rack-width-adapted rack system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a respective pair of adapter rails that are connected to each of the plurality of pairs of device coupling elements, wherein each respective pair of adapter rails is configured to engage a respective device to configure its connected pair of device coupling elements to couple that respective device to the rack, wherein each respective pair of adapter rails is separately removable from the pair of device coupling elements to which it is coupled.   
     
     
         5 . The multi-device rack-width-adapted rack system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an adapter rail system that is connected to at least some of the plurality of pairs of device coupling elements, wherein the adapter rail system is configured to engage the respective devices to configure all of the pairs of device coupling elements to couple those respective devices to the rack.   
     
     
         6 . The multi-device rack-width-adapted rack system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an adapter rail system that is connected to at least some of the plurality of pairs of device coupling elements, wherein the adapter rail system is configured to engage a subset of the respective devices to configure a subset of the pairs of device coupling elements to couple that subset of respective devices to the rack.   
     
     
         7 . A multi-device rack width adapter system, comprising:
 a first multi-device rack width adapter subsystem that is configured to be mounted to a first side of a rack and positioned in a rack housing that includes a first housing width and that is defined between the first side of the rack and a second side of the rack;   a second multi-device rack width adapter subsystem that is configured to be mounted to the second side of the rack and positioned in the rack housing; and   a plurality of pairs of device coupling elements that each include a first device coupling element provided on the first multi-device rack width adapter subsystem and a second device coupling element provided on the second multi-device rack width the subsystem, wherein each pair of device coupling elements is configured, when the first multi-device rack width adapter subsystem is mounted to the first side of a rack and the second multi-device rack width adapter subsystem is mounted to the second side of a rack, to couple a respective device to the rack in a respective device housing that is defined between that pair of device coupling elements and that includes a second housing width that is smaller than the first housing width.   
     
     
         8 . The multi-device rack width adapter system of  claim 7 , wherein the first housing width is approximately 21 inches. 
     
     
         9 . The multi-device rack width adapter system of  claim 7 , wherein the second housing width is approximately 19 inches. 
     
     
         10 . The multi-device rack width adapter system of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a respective pair of adapter rails that are connected to each of the plurality of pairs of device coupling elements, wherein each respective pair of adapter rails is configured to engage a respective device to configure its connected pair of device coupling elements to couple that respective device to the rack, wherein each respective pair of adapter rails is separately removable from the pair of device coupling elements to which it is coupled.   
     
     
         11 . The multi-device rack width adapter system of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 an adapter rail system that is connected to at least some of the plurality of pairs of device coupling elements, wherein the adapter rail system is configured to engage the respective devices to configure all of the pairs of device coupling elements to couple those respective devices to the rack.   
     
     
         12 . The multi-device rack width adapter system of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 an adapter rail system that is connected to at least some of the plurality of pairs of device coupling elements, wherein the adapter rail system is configured to engage a subset of the respective devices to configure a subset of the pairs of device coupling elements to couple that subset of respective devices to the rack.   
     
     
         13 . The multi-device rack width adapter system of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of pairs of device coupling elements are provided by 10 pairs of device coupling elements that are configured, when the first rack width adapter subsystem is mounted to the first side of a rack and the second rack width adapter subsystem is mounted to the second side of a rack, to couple 10 devices to the rack. 
     
     
         14 . A method for adapting a width of a rack to house devices, comprising:
 mounting, by a first multi-device rack width adapter subsystem, to a first side of a rack and in a rack housing that includes a first housing width and that is defined between the first side of the rack and a second side of the rack;   mounting, by a second multi-device rack width adapter subsystem, to the second side of the rack and in the rack housing; and   coupling, by each of a plurality of pairs of device coupling elements that each include a first device coupling element provided on the first multi-device rack width adapter subsystem and a second device coupling element provided on the second multi-device rack width the subsystem, a respective device to the rack in a respective device housing that is defined between that pair of device coupling elements and that includes a second housing width that is smaller than the first housing width.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first housing width is approximately 21 inches. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the second housing width is approximately  19  inches. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 engaging, by each of a respective pair of adapter rails that are connected to each of the plurality of pairs of device coupling elements, a respective device to configure its connected pair of device coupling elements to couple that respective device to the rack, wherein each respective pair of adapter rails is separately removable from the pair of device coupling elements to which it is coupled.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 engaging, by an adapter rail system that is connected to at least some of the plurality of pairs of device coupling elements, the respective devices to configure all of the pairs of device coupling elements to couple those respective devices to the rack.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 engaging, by an adapter rail system that is connected to at least some of the plurality of pairs of device coupling elements, a subset of the respective devices to configure a subset of the pairs of device coupling elements to couple that subset of respective devices to the rack.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of pairs of device coupling elements are provided by 10 pairs of device coupling elements that couple 10 devices to the rack.